Author: newsdesk

  • Govt faces defeat twice in NA over two bills, Opposition demands PM Khan’s resignation

    Govt faces defeat twice in NA over two bills, Opposition demands PM Khan’s resignation

    The government faced defeat twice at the hands of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) on Tuesday during voting on motions seeking introduction of two bills, reports Dawn.

    Under the session chaired by Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly (NA) Qasim Suri, the Opposition first defeated the government with a 117-104 vote on a motion moved by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) MNA Javed Hasnain. The bill was to seek permission to introduce a private member’s bill aimed at preventing politicians from changing their parties. After the first defeat, most of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members had left the house.

    A motion moved by PTI’s lawmaker Asma Qadeer for a bill seeking to enhance punishment for those who passed offensive remarks against women didn’t pass. Because the deputy speaker announced that he could not allow Qadeer to introduce the bill as the Opposition members had rejected it with a majority and did not give the vote count as the Opposition had visibly outnumbered the treasury members.

    It is reported that there had been a significant increase in the number of members on the Opposition benches due to the arrival of PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in NA.

    A day earlier, the government got seven bills passed in the absence of Opposition members from the lower house of parliament.

    After the defeat, PML-N’s Ayaz Sadiq said, “Morally, Imran Khan should resign before convening of a joint sitting of the parliament.” He was referring to the government’s plan to call a joint session of parliament this week.

    PPP’s Syed Khursheed Shah, who had been in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for more than two years, was welcomed by a loud desk-thumping by the Opposition members.

  • Fiery batter of Pakistan Asif Ali voted ICC Player of the Month

    Fiery batter of Pakistan Asif Ali voted ICC Player of the Month

    Fiery Pakistan hitter Asif Ali has been voted as the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Player of the Month for October 2021, after his match-winning performances against New Zealand and Afghanistan a few days ago.

    Asif smashed 12-balls for 27 in Pakistan’s clash with New Zealand, hitting three sixes when they mattered the most.

    In Pakistan’s next game against Afghanistan, the Men in Green were once again in trouble, struggling against Afghanistan’s spin maestro Rashid Khan.

    However, in came Asif again, with the team needing 24 runs off 12 balls. Asif did not come under pressure, hitting the ball with a straight bat and hit four sixes to ensure Pakistan’s victory.

    Read More – ‘Aik over main 25 bhi kar leinge’: Asif Ali to Shoaib Malik

    In total, he scored 52 runs without defeat across three matches for Pakistan in October at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scoring at a strike rate of 273.68.

    ICC Voting Academy member Irfan Pathan said helping Pakistan win, especially from the “jaws of defeat” is what makes Asif Ali special.

    “Although he scored considerably less than other two nominated players, the contribution he made and the pressure situations from where he snatched the victories made all the difference,” added Pathan.

    From the women’s cateogry, Irish skipper Laura Delany bagged the Player of the Month for October award.

    Delany’s performance in Ireland’s 3-1 ODI series win over Zimbabwe was brilliant. The all-rounder impressed with the bat and the ball, scoring 189 runs at 63, and taking four wickets at 27.

    Delany posted scores of 88, 35 and 68 in her three innings, scoring at a strike rate of 108.62. In the lone match where she was not required with the bat, she still contributed with the ball, taking 1/22.

  • Supermodel Abeer Rizvi quits modelling industry, Minal and Ushna cheer

    Supermodel Abeer Rizvi quits modelling industry, Minal and Ushna cheer

    Supermodel and actor Abeer Rizvi has announced her farewell from the fashion and entertainment industry. The Raasta star took to her social media handle to announce that she is quitting the fraternity to pursue other personal goals in life.

    Abeer was nominated for the Best Model – Female Award at the 2020 Hum Style Awards. She made her acting debut opposite Sahir Lodhi in Raasta also featuring Aijaz Aslam and Mathira.

    Abeer Rizvi Pakistani Female Model

    In her announcement, Rizvi said her journey in the modelling industry has been a “roller coaster ride” and thanked the people who had been there for her during her time in the industry.

    She has revealed to a media portal that, “I’ve made enough money from modelling, Rizvi said, adding that she has invested in businesses and other ventures and can easily live her life comfortably. But she still wants to work. After taking a break, she plans on starting something new, perhaps a lingerie business. There are no Victoria’s Secret type brands here.”

    Fellow celebrities pour in love under her post’s comment section.

    In July 2021, Abeer highlighted in her post that the term ‘nangapan’ that people are using in reference to the dressing of female celebrities at the Hum Style Awards is contextually inappropriate.

  • WHO looking forward to oral, nasal Covid-19 vaccines

    The World Health Organization’s (WHO) chief scientist said Tuesday she was looking forward to the “second generation” of Covid-19 vaccines, which could comprise nasal sprays and oral versions, AFP reported.

    Soumya Swaminathan said such vaccines could have benefits over the current crop as they would be easier to deliver than injections and could even be self-administered.

    Swaminathan said there were 129 different candidate vaccines that have got as far as clinical trials and are being tested on humans — while a further 194 are not yet in the phase in their development and are still being worked on in laboratories.

    “This covers the entire range of technologies,” she told a live interaction on WHO social media channels.

    “They’re still in development. I’m sure some of them will prove to be very safe and efficacious and others may not.”

    “There could be advantages to some of the second-generation vaccines… clearly if you have an oral vaccine or an intra-nasal vaccine this is easier to deliver than an injectable.”

    Soumya Swaminathan added, “Ultimately we’ll be able to choose the ones that are most appropriate. If not for Covid-19, we’re going to use these platforms for other infections in the future.”

    “If there’s a local immune response then it will take care of the virus before it even goes and establishes itself in the lungs and starts causing a problem,” she said.

    WHO has only given emergency use authorisation to seven Covid-19 vaccines: those created by Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sinopharm, Sinovac and last week Bharat Biotech.

    “None of the vaccines are 100%. Nobody has ever claimed that the vaccines are going to be 100% protective. But 90% is a wonderful amount of protection to have, compared to zero,” Swaminathan said.

    “Till now, with the vaccines that we have approved, there has not been any signal which has been so worrying that we need to say, well, we need to re-think this vaccine.”

    More than 7.25 billion vaccine doses have been administered around the world, according to an AFP count

  • Video: Sadaf Kanwal dances her heart out with mother-in-law Safina Behroze

    Video: Sadaf Kanwal dances her heart out with mother-in-law Safina Behroze

    Actor and model Sadaf Kanwal can be seen dancing at a relative’s bridal shower with her mother-in-law Safina Behroze in Karachi. The video has gone viral on social media.

    The duo can be seen grooving on a Punjabi track, the video has been shared by the Hassad star Shahroz Sabzwari.

    Safina Sheikh is Javed Sheikh’s sister, Behroz told in one of his interviews that he fell in love with her at first sight.

    Behroze Sabzwari Celebrating Birthday of his Wife Safina | Pakistani Drama Celebrities
  • ‘An absolute vision’: Priyanka, Katrina and others pour in congratulatory wishes for Malala

    ‘An absolute vision’: Priyanka, Katrina and others pour in congratulatory wishes for Malala

    Pakistani Nobel laureate and activist Malala Yousafzai tied the knot with Asser Malik in a small intimate nikkah ceremony. Soon after Malala shared the pictures on her public social media accounts, congratulatory messages started pouring in by transnational celebrities.

    Have a look at some of the messages:

    Read more- ‘Precious day in my life’: Malala Yousafzai ties the knot

    “Congratulations @malala Wishing you so much joy and happiness. You are an absolute vision!!”, wrote Priyanka Chopra on her Instagram story.

    Bollywood star Katrina Kaif also left a message under Malala’s post.

    Pakistani celebrities Zara Noor Abbas, Aima Baig, Meesha Sahafi, Adnan Malik and politician Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari also sent greetings to the newly weds.

    On her special day, Malala looked radiant in a tea-pink shalwar kameez while Asser Malik wore a black suit with a matching tea-pink tie to compliment Malala’s dress.

  • England to play two additional T20Is during their tour to Pakistan in 2022

    England to play two additional T20Is during their tour to Pakistan in 2022

    England will play two additional Twenty20s during their tour to Pakistan next year, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chief Executive Tom Harrison announced on Tuesday.

    Pakistani cricket fans were infuriated by ECB’s decision to unilaterally cancel their joint men’s and women’s trip to Pakistan, which had been planned for October, with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja saying that his nation had been “used then binned” as part of a “West versus rest” mentality.

    That visit would have been England’s first since 2005 and came against the backdrop of New Zealand’s prior withdrawal from Pakistan, citing a specific and credible security threat.

    Harrison travelled this week in an apparently successful bid to repair relations, agreeing to extend what had been a five-match T20 series to a bumper seven-match rubber next September and October.

    England will also return for a three-Test series starting in November, after the T20 World Cup in Australia.

    Announcing the deal, Harrison said: “Myself and ECB’s senior director Martin Darlow visited Lahore to talk face to face with the PCB around some of the things that have happened over the past few weeks, leading to the cancellation of our tour in October.

    “We also wanted to discuss the future as the two boards have a historic relationship and want to move the agenda towards a forward-looking one as opposed to one looking back.

    “This is just to reaffirm our commitment to Pakistan cricket to getting England teams, men’s and women’s teams, eventually playing in Pakistan at home.

    “I don’t think there’s a cricketer in England who doesn’t want to test their abilities against the huge talent this country has and in the conditions they know best.”

    It was announced earlier this week that Australia would tour Pakistan for the first time since 1998 when they visit the country in March and April 2022 for three Tests, three ODIs and a T20 international.

    “The ECB have shown their large heartedness to be here for which I am thankful to Tom and Martin. It means a lot to us,” said Ramiz Raja.

  • ‘Rollercoaster of emotions’: Sanam Jung hosts a themed birthday for daughter Alaya, Ayeza Khan cheers

    ‘Rollercoaster of emotions’: Sanam Jung hosts a themed birthday for daughter Alaya, Ayeza Khan cheers

    Former morning show host and actor Sanam Jung celebrated her daughter Alaya’s fifth birthday in Karachi. The Alvida star shared a lengthy note along with the pictures from the celebrations.

    “The girl who never fails to put a smile across my face is turning 5, this 12th of November InshaAllah. Tbh, I’m going through a rollercoaster of emotions since she’s started making her own decisions. This little one literally pinpointed each and everything for her big day, from the cake, dress to choosing bounce Karachi for her birthday.”

    Actresses Ayeza Khan and Sidra Batool also sent greetings for Alaya on Instagram.

  • ‘Are we about to sign a surrender document once again?’: Supreme Court asks PM Khan

    ‘Are we about to sign a surrender document once again?’: Supreme Court asks PM Khan

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan appeared before the Supreme Court after he was summoned earlier today by the apex court to attend a hearing of the Army Public School (APS) massacre case.

    When the prime minister appeared at the rostrum, Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan said the parents of the martyred children are demanding action against the rulers of the time when the APS massacre took place, reports Geo News.

    The premier responded and said that when the massacre took place, his party was in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and he had met the parents in hospitals when the brutal massacre happened.

    “Parents are asking where was the security system [that day]? Despite our comprehensive orders, nothing was done,” replied Cheif Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed.

    “There are no holy cows in Pakistan, I believe in rule of law. We won a war against terrorism,” he said. “There were bomb blasts taking place at the time every single day,” replied PM Khan.

    “The government should take action against those involved in the APS massacre,” said the Supreme Court. 

    “You are the prime minister, you should have answers,” said CJP Ahmad.

    “Hold on for a minute, Judge Sahab,” responded PM Khan. “Allah will give patience to the parents of the schoolchildren, what more could the government have done apart from giving compensation?”

    “Find out why 80,000 people were killed, also find out who is responsible for 480 drone attacks taking place in Pakistan,” added the premier.

    “Finding out about these things is your job, you are the prime minister. As the prime minister, you should have the answer to these questions,” replied the chief justice.

    “You can constitute a high-level commission on the APS tragedy,” said the prime minister. 

    “We have already formed a commission and it has issued a report as well,” responded the chief justice. “Our order of October 20 clearly states that the government should find out who is responsible for the massacre and take action against them,” he added. 

    The chief justice reminded the prime minister that seven years had passed since the tragedy took place. 

    “Mr Prime Minister, we are not a small country,” said Justice Qazi Amin. “We have the sixth largest army in the world.”

    Justice Amin told the prime minister that he had now brought the culprits of the massacre to the negotiating table. 

    “Are we about to sign a surrender document once again?” he asked.  

  • ‘Avoid bloodshed’: Military opposed use of force against TLP protestors

    ‘Avoid bloodshed’: Military opposed use of force against TLP protestors

    The government has decided to disclose the details of the agreement with the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in the next 10 days. The military leadership had advised against the use of force against the protesters after Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan had authorised it, writes Fahd Husain for Dawn.

    On Monday, a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PNSC) comprising members of the National Assembly (NA) and Senate took place in Islamabad. The parliamentarians were taken into confidence by the military leadership over a secretive deal between the government and the TLP.

    The government has fundamentally decided to make public the agreement it signed with the TLP but the secrecy of the details shall be kept intact until its implementation.

    Sources privy to the matter revealed that the premier had authorised the use of force against the TLP marchers. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa presented all the gains and losses of using force against TLP workers.

    “The army chief said if the decision-makers were ready to pay the price for using force against the TLP, then the military would do as ordered. However, mention was made of the previous instances where the government had used force against citizens – Lal Masjid and the Model Town incident – and participants of the meeting were reminded of the consequences of both episodes.”

    “The military leadership, however, advised against the use of force arguing that it was not a solution. It was then decided to opt for a negotiated settlement in order to, as one source put it, ‘avoid bloodshed’. This is when Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman was identified as someone who could mediate an agreement given his standing as a senior Barelvi cleric.”

    The TLP protest turned violent, killing seven police officers and hundreds more wounded during clashes with TLP demonstrators marching up towards the capital. November